Turnabout Engage
by Eskarina
Summary: At long last, Nick's going to propose to Miles, providing the insanity of their lives lets up for long enough for him to pop the question! Just some more flufffy humor/romance, PW/ME.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Some drama/humor/fluff for the slash fangirls. I may continue this to include the hi-jinks of their wedding etc. if people want me to. Phoenix Wright belongs to the original creators.

A quick note for those who don't know; Hannah was invented by slash fans, as far as I can tell it's just so the poor girl can be constantly walking in on her boss in compromising positions. Apologies if I've written her wrong, I only know her through lurking. Hannah belongs to… the internet, I guess?

_March 14__th __3:00pm  
>Wright &amp; Co. Law offices<em>

"So, what do you think?" Nick asked, holding out the ring box for inspection by Maya; sitting on his work desk and grinning like all her dreams had come true.

It was a beautiful piece, Nick wasn't able to afford a lot, it was true, but when it came to the people he loved he was willing to make things stretch, besides when he'd seen the gold band he was holding out, complete with a single small diamond subtly embedded in the metal… well, he'd been able to see the answer in the sparkle. He'd seen the delighted smile, the light blush, he'd heard that voice murmur '_yes_.'

"It's beautiful Nick." Maya cooed lovingly, taking the box from him. "The diamond's a good choice."

Nick nodded, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I know it's a little less showy than what he usually wears, but… I want it to be a reminder of me, not just an accessory."

Maya nodded, handing the pretty thing back to him, "That's a good attitude to have."

Nick didn't miss that little trace of sadness in her voice as she said this. He sighed and as she turned her head to avoid his eyes, he kneeled on the floor, forcing her brown eyes to meet his own intense blue ones. "Maya…"

The door crashed open and with a happy cry of "Hi!" Pearl Fey twirled into the room. "Mystic Maya, they're selling Samurai dogs down by-!"

Nick winced, he and Maya turned in tandem as the little girl's face turned into a mask of surprise and happiness, for there before her eyes was Mister Nick on his knees in front of her beloved Maya, holding a ring box. It was like a fairy-tale come true.

"Mystic Maya! Is Mister Nick-?" Pearl squeaked.

Nick flailed, what with one thing and another, when he and Miles had finally stopped hiding their relationship and told everyone concerned (though it turned out most of their friends had already guessed what was going on); Pearl had been the only one they left out of the confessions. She wouldn't have understood, too enamoured with the idea of Maya and Nick together and too naïve to see how happy the attorney became when around Mister Edgeworth.

"No, no, no!" Nick babbled, leaping on the first thing that came to mind, "I just uh, dropped this piece of evidence and Maya was telling me what she thought about it."

Equally nervous, Maya nodded and laughed, "That's right Pearly, sorry to get you excited." She turned back to Phoenix and winked, "It's an amazing piece of evidence Nick, the 'client' will be overjoyed."

Nick's nervous smile faded instantly, replaced with a more relaxed and real one. "Thanks Maya." He paused and turned back to Pearl, who was giving the whole scene a confused and suspicious look. Giving a little sigh he reached into his wallet and removed the last few of his notes, "Here ya go Pearly, go down to the stand and get us all some of those Samurai dogs, they sound good."

Pearl's suspicions melted like hot wax under the flame of temptation, "Ohh! Ok Mister Nick!" She jumped in delight, she so loved running errands for the law firm, it made her feel like a real adult, a proper member of the team.

As they watched the little pink shape skipping away, Nick commented; "Do you think she'll forgive me if we let her be a flower-girl?"

Maya smirked, "Oh come on Nicky, once she gets past the shock she'll be fine, you know she worships Mister Edgeworth."

Nick snorted, that much was true, whenever the prosecutor came over to the office he found himself cornered by the pink-clad little girl, who would demand he furnish her with obscure details of Steel Samurai episodes or information about all the countries he'd ever visited. Nick had a suspicion that the small girl had something of a childish crush on Miles, though he never mentioned it for fear of embarrassing her.

"I guess, I'm just afraid I'm gonna be pummelled by tiny fists." He confessed. That settled, he turned his thoughts back to Maya and that slightly sad note that had been in her voice. He cleared his throat, moving to sit next to Maya on his own desk.

"…Are you going to be ok with this, Maya?"

Maya nodded, keeping on her smile, but Nick recognised when she was faking it. Same as her older sister, she put on a brave face, though Mia's had been strict, Maya's was all smiles.

"Maya," he said quietly, a little uncertain of his words. "You do know, don't you; if I wasn't… that is, if girls were an option… I mean, I dated in college but it wasn't…" he sighed and reached to his forehead, brushing back his spiked bangs where they were beginning to droop after the day. "Maya, you're my girl, you know that, don't you?"

Despite her sadness, despite the little bit of her that was wondering if that ring shouldn't have been for her, despite the little sting that came from knowing that handsome, funny, sweet mister Wright would never really feel the same about her as she always had for him, Maya found she wasn't angry. She wasn't even all that sad, a little disappointed, but she never would have wanted to bring a man into one of those jealous, uneven marriages she was so familiar with from Kurain village.

Besides, she understood his sentiment, poorly-worded though it was. She'd always be his girl.

She grinned and elbowed him, "You bet your hedgehog-head I'm your girl, someone's gotta keep an eye on things around here, especially since you're gonna be busy planning a wedding soon!"

Nick blushed and smiled back, he could see she was being real in her happiness for him now, he put one arm around her shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze before glancing out of the window at the warm afternoon sun, "Yeah… wow, Maya, in three hours I'm gonna be asking Miles Edgeworth to be my husband."

_March 14__th__ 3:00 pm  
>Prosecutor's Building,<br>High Prosecutor's Office_

"That's a real nice ring Mister Edgeworth!" Gumshoe bellowed, saluting as he said it.

Miles winced, "Lower your tone, Detective, I'm trying to make it a surprise and if you continue at that volume everyone in the city will know."

Gumshoe visibly flinched and resumed admiring the ring in the box his boss was holding out.

It was a pretty thing, sure enough, just the sort of thing he could see Mister Edgeworth picking out as well, the band was gold with fine engravings on it, and at the top a diamond bigger than any Detective Gumshoe had ever seen was seated in a fancy-looking setting. There were even tiny rubies either side of it.

"Sorry sir!" He replied, lowering his voice considerably, "I gotta say, that's the biggest gem I've ever seen!"

Miles smiled a little smugly to himself, it certainly was a showy ring, he fully admitted that, but then again Nick often referred to his manner of dress as 'showy' or if he was feeling brave 'flamboyant'. He wanted Nick to wear that ring and every time he saw it, think of Miles himself.

Outloud, he voiced his well-rehearsed excuse for the showy stones, "Mmh, I abhor discussing money in the office but I must admit it was quite expensive. But then again I only intend on getting married once so I decided I might as well splash out a bit."

Detective Gumshoe's shoulders shuddered in mirth, "Heh, Marriage… I never thought I'd see the day…"

Miles' self-congratulatory smile faded a little, "Oh? Well I suppose I'm probably not what you'd call marriage material…"

Gumshoe's reaction was, as expected, hilarious, he flailed wildly as he fumbled to retract what he said, "No way pal! Sir! Sal! I mean, there's gotta be a hundred women in this city who'd jump at the chance to marry you, sir!" he saluted so fast Miles was slightly worried the big lug would knock himself out.

Ahh, yes, Gumshoe was probably right about that, if Miles did say so himself. He was aware of his apparent attractiveness to the fairer sex, he could hardly fail to notice the influx of 'anonymous' gifts he seemed to get every time he dealt with any case involving a young (or in one memorable and horrific case, old) woman. It was just that girls had never held much fascination for young Miles Edgeworth. Between trauma and study he'd never really found himself attracted to anyone, even when most boys his age had been out chasing girls.

If a label had to be put on him, he supposed 'homosexual' was the closest they'd get, but really, that wasn't right; a few vague stomach flutters in the presence of the infamous Godot and he couldn't deny that Detective Lang had a certain appeal at least in appearance. It was only Phoenix that made him… _feel_.

Phoenix, Nick, Wright. That wonderfully stubborn idiot who'd wormed his way back into Miles' life just when he didn't want him. Who'd changed his entire career path because he wanted Miles to have to speak to him, one way or the other. That complete dunce who ruined his perfect win record, made him feel unnecessary things, destroyed his mentor…

Miles smiled. When it came down to it, Nick had done an awful lot for him. In pursuit of him. It was strange because he usually abhorred the spotlight, but when it was Nick putting him up on a pedestal, it felt good. Like he wasn't standing on a pillar of glass, waiting to be knocked down and smashed, but on the winner's spot of a podium, like he was where he deserved to be and no-one was going to push him down.

"He's a wonderful man."

"Huh?"

Miles blushed slightly, he hadn't realised he'd spoken the rare compliment aloud. He cleared his throat, "Nothing. What were you saying?"

Gumshoe hid his smirk very well, "I said it's not that you're not marriage material, I just never figured it would be Mister Wright you'd be marrying."

Miles allowed himself the luxury of a laugh, he seemed to be doing that a lot more since he and Nick… became him and Nick. "No-one is more surprised than me about that, I assure you." He took one more look at the ring and placed it on his desk, turning away to look out over the view his office afforded him. "Hopefully he'll say yes. He ought to, the amount I spent on that… silly really, I know he won't appreciate it beyond sentiment, I just… felt like spoiling him a bit."

Gumshoe nodded, gazing longingly at the diamond, he wondered how many packets of noodles he could buy for the money Mister Edgeworth had dropped on that ring. "Ah I getcha sir." He replied, then daringly picked the ring up to get a better look, "I'm the same about Maggey, although I'd never be able to afford this kinda thing for her!" the big man pouted a little at the thought, when and if he ever got up the nerve, it would have to be plain silver bands, if that.

He shook his head, that kind of thinking wouldn't do. Trying to distract himself, he chirped out, "So how're you gonna ask him, sir?"

Miles chuckled a bit, recalling how he'd puzzled over that for some time before coming to his ultimate decision. "We're going out to dinner tonight, I was thinking of asking our waiter to hide it under Nick's dessert, he always has the same thing, slice of chocolate cake, that way when he's finished pigging out he'll discover it and I can ask him." Miles flicked his fringe from his eyes, "A little cliché, but Nick's a sucker for that sort of trite romantic gesture. He's the only man I know who actually enjoys chick flicks for their plots."

Gumshoe nodded, only half-listening. Wow, hiding it in the cake? Wasn't that kind of risky? He lifted the diamond ring to his own mouth to check and his suspicion was correct, the diamond was big but it could easily be swallowed in a big lump of cake, and-

The intercom on Miles' desk buzzed loudly, causing three things to happen at once. Miles turned quickly in order to answer it, Gumshoe jumped at the unexpected sound, half-expecting it to be an alarm for the ring, and the ring itself slipped from the detective's big, clumsy fingers and down his throat with an audible 'gulp!'.

"Hello, Hannah?" Miles asked, pushing a button on the intercom.

"_Good Afternoon Mister Edgeworth, you asked me to remind you to go get ready for your dinner date tonight with Mister Wright." _There was a pause, and then a slight giggle in the voice as his secretary added, "_I do wish you all the luck in the world, sir."_

Miles smiled, "Thank you Hannah, I'll be off in a moment then. Take the rest of the day off yourself."

"_Thank you sir_."

Miles nodded, releasing the button and reaching to his chair, tugging on his suit jacket, "You can see yourself out, can't you Detective? Only I have one or two matters to attend to before this evening."

Gumshoe, sweating bullets, nodded weakly.

Miles, high on the thought that in a few hours he'd be asking the man he loved to be with him forever, hurried to the office door, then stopped and slapped his own forehead, "Stupid, forgot the most important thing!" he declared cheerfully, scurrying back to the desk and reaching for the ring box, containing…

Containing…

Huh.

Miles' eyes narrowed and he turned slowly to Gumshoe. He recalled the odd 'gulp' noise he'd heard when the buzzer went off.

"Detective, don't tell me you've done what I think?" he asked in a low, venom-filled tone.

Gumshoe whimpered, "Uhm… It was… an accident, sir?"

_March 14__th__ 5:00pm  
>Wright &amp; Co. Law offices<em>

Nick sighed down the phone, "Yeah, I know it was Mister Edgeworth who made the reservation but I'm the one he'll be dining with, so I should be allowed to change it a bit!" he grumbled a bit, "It's not as if you're going to be loosing anything, I just want us to have the corner table rather than the usual one!"

Maya watched her boss as he argued with the restaurant. It made her smile to see how much he'd changed since he and Mister Edgeworth got together. Her old Nick never would have dared argue with one of those posh restaurants, hell, he never would have been allowed in.

"You know the table I mean, Andre! The one that's a bit more private, always has candles on it."

It was only since dating... well, she supposed she could call him Miles, now he was going to be her boss-in-law, that Nick had… not exactly become classier, but he'd gained something. Miles had introduced him to a few of the finer things in life. While some men might have been offended at Miles flaunting his higher salary, Nick accepted it for what it was, his boyfriend spoiling him a little.

"Come on, just move the people who've reserved it onto our usual table, when Mister Edgeworth comes in you can just say there was a mix-up!"

Nick spoilt him right back, Maya noticed. Not with material things maybe, but she knew for a fact that Nick had spent a great deal of his free time watching Steel Samurai dvds with his boyfriend, if only because Miles enjoyed them so much. And he was always leaving little notes in Miles' coat pockets or his briefcase, little things like '_Remember everyone who counts thinks you're brilliant'_ or '_Always remember Miles; Pobody's Nerfect! ' _once there was even the simplest and sweetest note Maya had ever heard about which apparently just read '_Love you Miles- Nick x'_.

Loads of little things like that, done to restore Miles' shattered faith in himself. No wonder the two of them seemed so happy now, they were a great match.

"Well… ok, yes he will find it suspicious but I'm asking as a personal favour! … No I can't tell you why!" Nick whined, clearly on the loosing end of an argument with an overzealous maître d'.

Maya took pity on him and reached across the desk, taking the phone from his hand even as he protested, "Hello? Look, Mister Wright wants that corner table because he's gonna propose to Mister Edgeworth, I bet there'd be a nice tip in it for you if you make it happen."

"OH! Oui mademoiselle, tell monsieur Wright we will arrange the corner table for him and Mister Edgeworth! And offer our congratulations!"

Nick stared, baffled, as Maya hung up. "…Maybe you oughta be the one who goes to court and I'll stay here and eat burgers?" he suggested.

Maya snorted and gave him a playful shove, "Yeah yeah, now you hurry off home and put on something nice!" she sniffed the air around him comically, "and uh, something that doesn't smell of terror?"

Nick pouted, "I don't smell of-" he lifted one arm and sniffed, then pulled a face, "Point taken… it's nerves about tonight!"

Maya nodded understandingly, giving Nick a pointed push towards the office door, "I know, I know, but one thing guaranteed to make Mister Edgeworth say 'no!' will be you smelling like a farm, now go, get read to propose!"

Nick grinned, his heart soaring like his namesake as he hurried out of the office. By this time tomorrow, he was sure, he'd be engaged to the most wonderful man in the world.

_March 14__th__ 5:30pm  
>Prosecutor's building<br>High Prosecutor's office._

"It's coming out one way or the other!"

Gumshoe whimpered from within the private bathroom he'd been unceremoniously imprisoned in. He suspected it wouldn't help to tell Prosecutor Edgeworth that taking hostages was illeagal.

"I'm sorry sir!" he tried.

Outside there was a thump as Edgeworth banged his fist on the wall in frustration, "Sorry! _SORRY!_ Sorry doesn't even _begin_ to cover this! What kind of an idiot manages to swallow a ring by accident?"

"I was just-"

"I swear to Von Karma, Gumshoe, if that ring isn't in my hand in the next hour I'm coming in there with a letter-opener and getting it myself!"

Gumshoe paled; in this state he didn't doubt anything of Edgeworth. "But-"

"Where the devil is that girl with the ipecac?" he heard the prosecutor growl, and then the sound of the office door opening and the meek, if slightly amused voice of Hannah.

A second later and Edgeworth was snapping, "Open the door!"

Doing so resulted in a small brown bottle being thrust under his nose by an irate lawyer, "Drink this! And make damn sure you wash the ring- actually no, just put it on the side, you'll only flush it or something by mistake!" Miles snarled to himself, rubbing his forehead, "God it's like being in charge of an infant!"

As he took the bottle the door was once more slammed, leaving him trapped in the white marble room. Outside he overheard Mister Edgeworth demanding to know 'Why this insane stuff only happened to him?'

It hardly seemed fair, it wasn't as if he'd swallowed the ring on purpose. Still, Gumshoe didn't think that would stop the prosecutor from cutting his pay down to nearly nothing as punishment.

Besides, this kind of insanity didn't only happen to him, Mister Wright's law firm was rapidly gaining a reputation as the place you went when the case was too crazy for any other firm.

The detective sighed and uncapped the bottle, holding his nose as he chugged the lot, the least he could do was get Mister Edgeworth's ring back in time and-

He hiccupped twice, he always got them when he ate or drank too fast, which was almost all the time since he'd started eating nothing but noodles and-

The hiccups came again and Gumshoe coughed as he felt something catching in his throat. He ran for the toilet stall, realised it wasn't gonna be close enough and for lack of anything better, leant over the sink.

He coughed again, and then heard a 'Plink!' sound.

He dared to open one eye.

Huh. Well, there was the ring, lying in the bottom of the sink, sparkling away and looking none-the-worse for it's journey. It must have just got caught in his throat and with the sheer terror of the situation, he hadn't noticed it digging in.

Gumshoe grinned, "Mister Edgeworth! I got the ring back, I got the-!" he gasped as a wave of nausea overtook him and he pounded for the toilet stall, slamming it behind him as Miles opened the main door.

"You got it back?" he demanded, then heard the retching and winced. His eyes, sharp from years of crime scenes, spotted the sparkling item in the sink and Miles allowed himself a small smile. Picking the thing up between two fingers he felt the terror in his chest release slightly and planted a kiss to the diamond.

That was when his brain chose to make the connection of where it had just _been_ and he pulled a face, and started hunting around for some mouthwash, or failing that, bleach. He happily ignored the sounds of digestive distress coming from the stall, he figured if pay cuts didn't work, perhaps an evening spent bent over vomiting would improve Gumshoe's work.

_March 14__th__ 5:45pm  
>Phoenix Wright's apartment<em>

Nick turned and tried to get a decent view of himself from behind. He wasn't too sure about this suit, it was the one Miles had treated him to on their six-month anniversary. It was his usual blue colour but rather than being an off-the-rack affair it was tailored, fit like a glove, in fact. Miles always said it was a 'distinct improvement', which Phoenix took to mean 'you look hot in that'.

Only, he was never sure… every time they went out together it was like the world was conspiring to make Nick remember just how unpleasant and ugly he was in comparison to Miles, who never, _ever_ looked anything less than catwalk gorgeous.

He sighed, conceding that the suit was fine, but he wasn't really filling it all that well, and turned to the more important problem of his hair.

Miles always said he hated Nick's spikes, and that he needed to use less gel on it, but on the other hand, Nick's hair had an unpleasant habit of turning into a bird nest when left to its own devices.

…actually, Hate was too strong a word, Miles may have claimed to hate the spikes, but there had been occasions where, if they'd had a rare hour or two off together, his hand would drift to those same hated spikes and play with them. Nick wasn't sure if Miles even noticed he did it himself.

Ten minutes later and Nick had to admit that he'd done everything he knew how to make himself look a bit better and… well, he didn't look too bad, if he did say so himself. Not on Miles' level of gorgeous, but certainly above average.

He paused a moment to look around his apartment and caught himself daydreaming that he probably wouldn't be living here much longer. The thought gave him a strange pang of sadness, small and badly-furnished the place might have been, but it had been a good fit for him. In need of a little TLC, he supposed, but nothing basically wrong with the old place.

Then again, the thought of a new home, with Miles in his penthouse with that dog of his maybe, or maybe in a place they could get together, somewhere they could make their own as a couple rather than two lonesome guys. Hell, they'd talked about moving in together before but ultimately never got around to it, they spent every spare moment together anyway, why complicate it with a move until they were 100% committed?

Nick grinned at that idea. Burying his hands in his pockets as he walked down the street towards Miles' favourite restaurant, he couldn't stop the thought '_After tonight it'll be 100% at last.'_

He was so lost in thought that he didn't notice the huge puddle by the pavement, not until a car sped past and splattered him with muddy water and brought him back to earth with a mighty crash.

Nick stood still for a moment or two, blinking as if he was waiting for this nightmare to end and for him to wake up. When this didn't work he let out a low whine of self-pity and looked down to survey the damage.

_March 14__th__ 6:00pm  
>La Pomme D'amour restaurant<em>

Fifteen minutes and the quickest change of clothes Nick had ever done and he was _hugely_ late. He jogged most of the way down the street to the restaurant, skidding to a halt outside the doors only to realise that he was about to attempt to propose to the handsomest man in the world, while wearing a cheap suit and with his hair doing something odd _and_ he was late for their date. He didn't stand a snowball in hell's chance.

The attorney let out a low sigh and pushed open the door.

"Ahh, bonjour Monsiour Wright! Monsiour Edgeworth is waiting at the ah… corner table." The maître d' greeted with a wink that wasn't going to win any awards for subtlety. Nick didn't bother to play along, simply handing the man his coat and preparing himself for the wrath of an angry Miles.

He was rather surprised to see the man himself still in his work clothes, usually on their dates he'd at least throw on a fresh suit, sometimes with the addition of a tie-pin or something, but that one was bearing all the crumple-marks of a day at work. He didn't look annoyed at being made to wait either, on the contrary, he was leaning back in his chair, suit jacket off and slung over the back of it, cravat loosened and smiling like Nick was the best thing he'd ever seen.

"Uhm…" Nick mumbled, "Sorry I'm late."

Miles shook his head, nothing could have spoilt his mood, not now he'd got the ring back and safely sterilised it, before sending it off to the chef with strict instructions that should anything untoward happen to it, Miles knew where to find all the best hired killers. "Don't be, I wasn't on time myself… something… came up at the office." He smiled privately. "I ordered us some wine."

Nick raised his eyebrows, taking a seat, and noting the fancy label on the bottle in the middle of their private and yes, candle-lit table. He didn't pretend to understand wine but he knew enough from Miles' hints that this was an expensive one. "Mmh, what's the occasion?" he asked, lowering his eyelids.

"None in particular, just thought… well, it's a lovely night and owing to a lovely mix-up we have the candle-lit table, may as well make an occasion of it."

Nick blushed, at least Miles was still under the impression that none of this was planned, that was good. "That's uh… really nice of you." He picked up his glass, "Here's to… here's to…" he paused, "Do we have anything to toast?"

Miles laughed softly, warmly. Nick made a note to make sure he laughed like that again sometime, he sounded so naturally happy. "How about we just toast us, eh?"

Nick's blush intensified, but he cleared his throat, he'd have to be a lot bolder than this if he was going to ask Edgeworth to marry him at the end of the night. "Here's to Miles Edgeworth, the best and brightest man I've ever known."

Miles smirked, raising his own glass, not bothering to correct Phoenix on the way he held his own wineglass like a beer bottle, he'd long since given up on teaching the man etiquette. "Here's to Phoenix Wright, the most charming person in my life."

Any waiter serving the two lawyers that night would have observed the quiet happiness between them, the way they behaved as if there'd never been a time when they weren't together, how the little nuances of their behaviours complimented each other perfectly. They chatted quietly about their day's work, shared laughs over one another's co-workers and their funny ways, reminisced about cases past.

It was only when the waiter approached to ask if they wanted dessert that a sudden nervous edginess came over the pair again.

"Mind if I have a slice of that cake?" Nick asked, trying to sound relaxed. One hand went to the ring box in his pocket, checking it was still there. God, he needed the sugar just to calm his nerves.

Miles smiled uneasily, "Not at all. You and your chocolate."

Nick laughed, it came out at a slightly-too-high pitch. "What can I say? I like indulgent things. Why do you think I'm dating you?"

If he noticed that the slice of his favourite cake arrived at an oddly fast speed (almost as if it was prearranged) he made no comment on it. Of course Nick didn't notice, too busy trying to recall how he ever got up the guts to speak to Miles.

What the hell was he thinking, he had no business in the world trying to marry Miles, he was too beautiful, too amazing, too…

Miles wondered if he hadn't been slipped some of that ipecac himself, he felt nauseous enough. Any second now…

Nick gripped the ring box, he'd have to do it now, before he lost his nerve.

Miles spotted the gem, right there in the middle of the plate as the last crumb of chocolate vanished.

Nick swallowed the last bite hard, eyes fixed on Miles as he tugged the ring box from his pocket in what he imagined was a subtle manner, keeping it hidden in his fist for a second.

"Nick…"

"Miles…"

In perfect sync, the two lawyers moved. Nick thrust the ring box out in front of him just as Miles reached across to take Nick's hands, the result of which was he got a handful of box.

"Will you marry me?" they both blurted at once.

There was a beat of silence.

"What?" they both asked at the same time.

"I said-"

"I asked-"

Miles winced and raised his hand, "Nick, shush, we need to take this in turns. What did you just say?"

Nick, blushing violently and more than a little mixed up, nodded down to the ring box. "I uh… Miles, will you marry me?" he paused, then noticed the glittering item on his plate. "What the heck…?"

Miles blushed in turn, "Um… what a coincidence."

_March 14__th__ 7:00pm  
>Outside Palace Apartment Building<em>

"Wow… that's a huge diamond…" Nick commented, holding his hand up to the streetlight to observe the sparkles again. "I've never had something his shiny on my hand before."

Miles smirked, glancing down at his own gold band, he kept having to check it was still there, afraid of any number of insane mishaps. "I'm glad you like it. I thought you might think it gaudy."

"Miles, I'm dating a man who wears cravats, nothing is too gaudy."

"Engaged to, not dating." Miles corrected smugly. "… I love my ring too, by the way."

Nick stopped his admiring of the glittery stone and turned back to Miles, "Oh… heh, it's not too… plain?"

Miles rolled his eyes, though for once it didn't appear to be in contempt. He sighed and lowered one hand to link with Nick's as they walked together towards his apartment building. "Strange we both decided to… on the same day and everything."

"I know." Nick agreed, "Shame really, I had this whole speech worked out."

Miles smirked, "You wrote a speech and you actually remember it?"

Nick stuck his tongue out, "Hey! _I _studied acting, memorising scripts is easy."

Miles stopped as they passed under a streetlight, bathing them in an orange glow as he withdrew his hand and folded his arms, "All right then, go on Mister Acting attorney, tell me your speech."

Nick blinked, "Huh? But you already said yes."

"I want to hear it anyway." Miles replied evenly, tilting his head.

Nick sighed and shook his head to himself at the sheer impossibleness of this man. "All right, one sec, need to get into the character of an un-engaged man." He explained, then dropped onto one knee in front of Miles, who promptly turned pink and glanced around to see if there was anyone watching them on this deserted street, despite his insistence at hearing the speech.

"Miles Edgeworth… I don't know how to begin. We've had our ups and downs together and apart, there's been days when I've thought I hated you and days I've known I couldn't love you more. I'm not going to promise the downs will stop, because they won't, and I'm not going to promise there won't still be days when we drive each other crazy; but that's ok. Weathering the storm is what makes a strong man and a good couple, you're the former despite what you think, and I know together we're the latter. You're the only person who can make me feel special and insignificant all in one sentence and I know that if I can be with you for the good days I'm more than willing to endure the bad ones with you. I love you Miles, will you marry me?"

Miles's cheeks burned harder than ever, but his smile wouldn't fade. "…That would have been… impossible to say no to." He mumbled, offering a hand and tugging Wright back to his feet.

Wright grinned, "What were you going to say to me?"

Miles shook his head, trying to start walking again, "Oh, nothing, no speech, rubbish really…"

"Don't do that Miles, I hate when you put yourself down." Nick protested, seizing his fiancé's hand before he could escape. "Come on, tell me."

"Oh…" Miles grumbled, before speaking once more in a low, embarrassed tone, "I was just going to say… Phoenix, I love you more than I thought I could ever love someone, you're the most wonderful man alive and if you agree to be my husband, I'll be the luckiest, will you marry me?"

Nick's smile threatened to split his face, curling his arms around the man's waist he nuzzled against his shoulder, "You know I will Miles."

Miles blushed despite himself, hugging Nick back and taking just a brief moment to enjoy the warmth and comfort of the other man, everything he'd been longing for since his childhood was finally falling into place.

Slowly he drew back and glanced up at the building they were outside of, slightly surprised to see it was his own apartment building, but then again with the wine and the food and the romance, he supposed they'd both lost track of how fast they were walking. He sighed, "Let's go in, you've got to explain to Pess why he's got two daddies now." He joked as he held up his card-key to the door's sensor and lead Phoenix into the polished lobby.

Phoenix pulled a face, "hah, don't be silly Miles. You're his mom."

The two tumbled into the elevator laughing together; normally Edgeworth refused to go near the thing, preferring the self-induced torture of the stairs, but they were both just too happy tonight, laughing and teasing which quickly turned to kisses as the elevator rose. Nick noticed the slight tensing and the way the laughter became a little nervous the higher they went and instantly took Miles' hand. "It's ok, after the wedding we'll buy a house somewhere, no elevators."

In contradiction to his nagging phobic reaction, Miles smiled. "Oh, we are, are we?"

Nick nodded confidently, maybe it had been the wine with dinner or just the fact that Miles had said 'Yes' to the proposal, but he felt so comfortable talking about all this now. "Yeah, nice big place for you to tart up with lace and things and a garden for Pess to play in. I'm thinking something with loads of rooms."

Miles raised his eyebrows, choosing to ignore the remark about his personal taste, he inquired, "Why so many rooms?"

Nick tapped his nose, unconsciously imitating his fiancé, "Simple, we'll both need a study or something, we'd drive each other mad trying to share workspace, you'll need a whole separate room for all your clothes…"

Miles pouted, "I'm not that bad."

"You've got ten identicle pink suits. Anyway, two studies, a dressing room for Princess Edgeworth, a guest room for whenever Maya and Pearly come to stay, or in case Gumshoe or Franziska shows up, I guess…"

"if Gumshoe shows up he can sleep in Pess' dog basket." Miles muttered under his breath.

"And finally," Nick declared, in a voice of great importance, "We're gonna need somewhere for the kids to sleep."

There was a slight pause.

"Kids?" Miles asked.

Nick nodded, still smiling away, "Yeah! Well, not right away of course, I wanna keep you to myself for a while and adoption or insemination are long processes anyway, but wouldn't it be cool to have a little girl or guy running around? Shouting objection and watching kids shows with you?"

Miles hated how this man in front of him could make any idea, no matter how initially repulsive, sound totally appealing with less than a few sentences, quite a little turnabout. He curled his arms around Nick's thin waist. "Mmh, let's get through the wedding first."

They were just leaning into a heated kiss when the elevator door opened up into the Penthouse Miles called home.

"_SURPRISE!"_

The two lawyers spun like tops, confronted with a crowd of people, all their old friends and relatives, gathered under a sign which had been draped across the room reading 'Congratulations'. Nick suspected Maya had written it, the g was backwards and she'd managed to get a y in there somehow.

There was Franziska, holding a glass of something red in one hand and her whip in the other, there was Gumshoe, looking pale and a little green around the gills from his earlier adventure, there was Hannah and Maya, grinning girlishly, and Larry somewhere near the back, probably trying to claim credit for the couple, Pess and Missile happily playing together (Miles made a note to put a stop to that, no mongrel went near his pet) and any number of other faces, all staring at the pair as if waiting for a response.

For a moment Nick wondered if Miles was going to get cross at whoever had arranged this (Nick was pretty sure it would be their assistants working together, Hannah had a spare key and Maya was just daft enough to encourage something like this), or if he himself would have to get annoyed at the intrusion into their private night.

He caught Miles' eyes, saw that while there was a touch of annoyance in there, it was being overwhelmed with love and frankly, happiness at seeing how many people wanted to celebrate with them.

"_Well?"_ Maya squeaked impatiently.

Nick and Miles, both blushing a bit, raised their hands simultaneously. Nick, sensing that Miles wasn't going to be the one to break the silence, chirped out, "We're engaged!" over the loud cheer that arose at the sight of their rings.

The party went on long into the night, and (apart from Larry getting his face slapped by every single female in attendance and the discovery that contrary to what Gumshoe believed, 'Missile' was apparently a girl dog, judging by Pess' reactions) there was no more insanity that night.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: ^^ Decided to continue this after all, next two chapters focus on a case so technically the genre is probably now Romance/mystery/crime but won't let me add another genre, apologies. :) Hope the case isn't too obvious/boring for you, dear reader, apologies if it is, it's my first time writing a mystery.

_March 28__th__ 9:00am  
>Wright &amp; co Law Office<em>

Nick hummed a little tune to himself as he made his way down the hallway to his company's offices. God, things were going well lately. Spectacularly well, in fact. He was engaged to the man he had loved since fourth grade, his company was doing well for a change, he'd managed to make breakfast without burning it, in two days he'd be moving into that awesome penthouse suite with Miles, he'd even begun to consider bringing in another lawyer for the firm, give him more time to spend with his wonderful husband-to-be…

Life was good.

He lifted his hand to the door handle and smiled as his ring caught the light and sparkled.

"Picked a date yet?" Maya squeaked as her boss entered the office. He nearly leapt out of his skin as she did so, she'd been in a state of total over-excitement for the entirety of the two weeks since Nick and Miles had got engaged.

It was his own fault, Nick supposed, for asking Maya if she wanted to be his 'best man' (much to Larry's disappointment) she'd leapt at the chance and had decided that part of her duties included nagging Nick and Miles every moment of every day to start planning the actual wedding.

Truth be told, they hadn't really discussed the actual event, beyond joking about who'd be the 'bride' and picking their best men. Even that was a difficult task, while Nick had instantly known only Maya could stand up for him at the wedding, Miles was currently involved in a three-way tug of war between Gumshoe, Franziska and Larry, all of whom where insisting that _they_ were Miles' best friend.

"No Maya," Nick groaned, "We've not picked a date yet. We only just got engaged!"

Maya pouted, about to voice complaint and probably list a number of reasons why the couple needed to pick a date _now_, when a voice, rich and dark as chocolate, cut into the conversation.

"Hah, I heard you finally decided to make an honest man out of the pretty boy."

Nick turned towards the source of the familiar voice, and smiled weakly.

On the office sofa, sitting with Pearly at his side giving him a look of adoration and a mug of coffee in his hand was Prosecutor Godot. He raised the mug and grinned, "Congrats to you and the missus." One side of the laser-mask flickered slightly, Phoenix wondered if the man was winking.

The blue-clad lawyer smiled back and held out his hand, "Thanks. I take it you made parole?"

Godot shrugged and sipped his coffee, "Nah, I tunnelled out using my mask as a shovel."

Pearl's eyes widened, "Oh wow! Really? Are you on the run?"

Godot sniggered and patted the little girl's head, "Nah, I'm messing with you kiddo."

Laughing a little at Pearl's expression of disappointment that they weren't harbouring a criminal, Nick placed his briefcase on his desk and turned back to the older lawyer, "So, why are you here, angling for an invite to the wedding?"

Godot shook his head, his pearl-white locks ruffling slightly, "Mixing business with pleasure, Wright, Maya makes a great espresso." He lifted the mug he was holding and without warning, started to chug the lot.

Nick sighed, leaning on his desk and waiting for the man to finish. "And the business part of your visit?"

The mug lowered and the red lights flickered a little, "Murder."

Maya and Pearl instantly squealed, leaping between the two men, Maya babbling, "You can't kill Nick! Then I'll never get to be a Best man!"

"Yeah! Besides you owe him for uncovering the truth!" Pearl added, dancing between the two of them anxiously.

Nick smirked, rubbing his head before interrupting with, "Girls, I don't think Mr. Armando intends on killing me." He paused and glanced at the older man, "Do you?"

Godot laughed hard, lowering his now empty mug to the coffee table before explaining, "No, no, if I wanted to kill you I could do it much easier than coming to your office, Trite." He chuckled a little in a way that made Nick wonder if he ought to get some better security in his apartment. "Nah, I'm sorta a suspect."

Nick blinked, "Eh?"

"…It's like this," Godot began, his voice a little lower than usual.

'_I got out of prison a few weeks back, been rebuilding what little there is left of my life. One thing I wanted to do was go speak to… a woman I used to know, she's in prison now, doesn't deserve to be, poor kid. I went to visit her, y'see, in her own little slice of hell. While I was waiting in the visitor's room with a guard he… was murdered."_

Nick blinked. "He was murdered? In front of you?"

Godot nodded, "Yeah. He just… started bleeding from his stomach, right here." He paused and pointed at his own torso. "Like he'd been stabbed. He hit the ground and before I knew what was happening I was bein' read my rights." He sighed, "Brought back some memories, I can tell ya. Since it was only me and the guard in the visitors room, they've only got me as a suspect."

Nick winced, "…And you want me to represent you?"

"Can't represent myself anymore." Godot replied, nodding to Nick's lapel-pin, "They took mine away. I was lucky I had enough pull to get myself bailed out and come here, really."

Maya blinked sadly, "You didn't tell us that's why you came here…"

"Sorry kitten, figured you'd be upset."

Nick sighed deeply, closing his eyes and thinking this over. Any other day he might have refused, or offered the man the name of a different lawyer, but honestly, he could see how that would go. Who'd represent someone already convicted of murder in a locked-room mystery like this? And the courts wouldn't go easy on Godot as they had before. The weak, blind old man act wouldn't hold any sway the second time around.

"Take off your mask." Nick said suddenly.

Amid puzzled stares from the two mystics, Godot did as he was asked, probably sensing Nick was being serious. Nick winced slightly at the sight of the scar that covered one of the man's eyes, the man's face was a mask of Dahlia Hawthorne's cruelty. His eyes stared sightlessly ahead.

"Did you do it?" Nick asked, staring at the eyes.

"What do you think?" Godot replied evenly.

Nick examined the man's expression. No guilt there, there was a tingle of fear, but no guilt. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine what Mia would tell him to do.

_Defend him, Nick. You know I'd never be able to love a man who could kill someone in cold blood._

"…all right, I'll take the case." Nick replied, "First off, who's the prosecutor?"

Godot smiled weakly, replacing his mask. "Heh, that's the other thing I meant to tell ya before you agreed…"

And it had started out such a great day.

_March 28__th__ 10:14 am  
>Prosecutor's Building<br>High Prosecutor's Office_

"He's done _what!"_

Gumshoe jumped at the snap from his boss' desk, "Uh… the… the suspect's hired Mister Wright as his attorney, sir!"

Nick and Miles had been aware of the main problem that would arise from their involvement together, that being that if they met in court against one another it would put a considerable strain on the trial and their relationship. It had been the first thing they agreed upon when they got together, whenever it looked like they were going to meet in court, one or the other would recuse themselves. It had worked well so far.

Miles glared at the photo of Nick on his desk, "I'm not excusing myself from this, it's an open and shut case." He growled, as if his fiancé might hear it from clear across town. "What the hell is Nick thinking?"

_This_ case? Miles wanted it; it was so bloody simple after all. Man already convicted of Murder once before goes to visit a friend in prison, while waiting in the locked visitation room, the guard on duty is stabbed three times in the stomach. The _only_ person in the room with the guard was Godot. It didn't take a genius of Miles' level to see what happened.

"Nick will have to drop the case." He snapped, reaching for his phone.

Gumshoe gulped hard, "Uh… I already mentioned that when he came to the station to uh… gather evidence… he said he can't." The bulky detective rubbed the back of his head anxiously. "Something to do with making up for the past."

Miles snorted, "Sentimental, how very like him." He scowled and folded his arms, "Well fine, he wants to take this to court, it's his win record that'll be damaged. Have you brought me the autopsy report?"

Gumshoe allowed himself a small smile, sensing a way to make up for being the bearer of bad news. "Sure did sir! It's right-" he patted his huge trench coat pockets. A look of slight surprise crossed his face.

Miles scowled and counted the minutes it took for the detective's brain to come up with an excuse.

He _knew_ he shouldn't be this annoyed with Wright. He'd known what the man was like long before they got together. If there was an emotional tie to the case, Wright would take it and hold onto it like a dog with a bone. And honestly, Miles didn't need this one that badly, yes the idea of an ex-prosecutor being a murderer bothered him intensely, as all criminal activities did, but he'd grown enough over the years to accept that you couldn't catch _every_ criminal.

It was just…

Just that it felt like lately, Nick was getting too tangled up in Miles' life. He knew that was stupid, of course the man was in his life, they were getting _married_ after all, and Miles was delighted with that.

It was just that the other day, he'd opened one of his dresser drawers and found a pile of Nicks' shirts. And when he'd gone into the bathroom his shampoo had been moved along to make room for Nick's shower gel. And Pess' food bowl was full of some off-brand dog food Miles would never have brought his precious puppy.

Nick was moving in properly in two days, and that thought scared the hell out of Miles. His orderly apartment would be thrown into disarray. Nick would want to put all his _stuff_ all over the place. Miles recalled the man's problem with tidying up and shuddered at the thought of his own home being turned into a messy hovel.

"Gumshoe." Miles said quietly, "Have you lost that autopsy report?"

Gumshoe looked like he wanted the ground to eat him alive. "Uhm… Now ya mention it, sir… well, Miss Maya asked what killed the guy and I didn't think-"

Miles groaned and slammed his head against his desk.

_March 28__th__ 11:00am  
>Maximum Security Women's Prison<br>Visitor's room_

"Ok, so the door locks automatically when it closes." Nick said calmly, examining the door. "Makes sense, we're in the prison for the worst female criminals."

Maya frowned to herself, staring around at the pure white room, furnished only with a table and two chairs. "They could brighten this place up a little, couldn't they?"

Her eyes drifted to the blood-stains and the taped-off outline of a body and she paled.

Nick shook his head to himself, "The guard explained that, the lack of colour makes it easier to see signs of contraband."

"Why would visitors be bringing in bands?" Maya asked, blinking. "You mean to play music to the ladies?"

Nick bit his lip and made a mental note to explain all this later. He turned his attention back to the lock.

It locked itself automatically every time it shut. It could only be opened by scanning a guard's key-card over the scanner by the door. The red eye of the scanner glared out at him accusingly.

"Doesn't look good for Godot." Phoenix commented in a worried voice. "There's only one way in or out of this room and it's through that door, the door which only a guard could open. Sort of rules out the chance of a third person in the room."

"That's right sir." Chimed in the guard who had lead the pair into the room. He was a handsome looking young man, dark brown hair neatly trimmed around his head and with bright, honest green eyes. Nick thought the boy looked just the sort of kid any girl would be glad to take home to their mother. "It's a shame the camera didn't catch anything."

Nick blinked, his brain coming to life, "Camera?"

The boy blinked, "Of course, all the visitor's rooms have security cameras installed in the card-scanner, it means even if the guard misses something we have back-up if a visitor tries anything." The boy smiled weakly. "But we already checked the footage of the time of the murder. There's nothing useful on it."

"All the same…" Maya muttered, "Could we have a look?"

The Boy winced, "Ah, I'm sorry miss, it's more than my job's worth to show you. I'd love to, anything to sort this mess out." He glanced towards the blood-stained corner. "Poor Officer Peirce."

"You were close to the victim?" Phoenix tried, wondering if he made conversation the boy could be persuaded to show the footage. In the meantime, he kept looking around the room, trying to work out any way another person could have got in.

The young man nodded, "We both started working here around the same time. Took care of each other, yanno? We always worked the same shifts."

Phoenix nodded slowly, taking this information in and filing it under 'might be useful later'. "Since you knew the victim so well, would you be willing to testify about him? It could be relevant."

The young man blinked, but nodded, "Of course. Just call and ask for Officer Trey Torres, I'll tell you anything you want about Officer Peirce."

Nodding in thanks, Nick took one more look around the room, "Ok, I don't think there's much more we can do here, Maya. Let's go."

As the pair made their way down the corridor, Maya felt the urge to try and lighten the mood, it was awful that all this should be happening just when Mister Wright seemed to be settling in with a happy life. She tried to smile, "So, this is special, this could be the last time you and Mister Edgeworth meet in court."

Nick nodded, smiling a little, "…True, I'm surprised he didn't excuse himself, you know how much of a stickler he is for protocol."

"Well, maybe he's feeling sentimental, you two never have cases against each other anymore." Maya pointed out, then wrinkled her nose, "Phew! What smells?"

Nick blinked, sniffing the air then pulling a face as he noticed the scent of gym socks in the air. He glanced around them and saw the reason for it. "We're outside the guard's locker room, Maya." He pointed out, scurrying on ahead to get away from the smell. "Guess it must be right next door to the visitors room."

"Yuck, as if Prison isn't bad enough without the reek of pants…" Maya muttered, scurrying after her boss.

"Hey, they've got to change somewhere." Nick commented, "Anyway come on, court'll be starting soon."

_March 28__th__, 1:00pm  
>District Court Building<br>_

Miles hadn't really anticipated how odd it would be to be standing in court facing down Nick once again, it hadn't happened in such a long time. But it was happening, there was Nick, standing across at the defence table, looking slightly nervous and with that weird little mystic beside him.

The familiar feeling of superiority came flowing back, Wright had a lot of lucky breaks, that was all. But this case was so open and shut, Miles almost thought he could get Nick into trouble for wasting the court's time just by showing up.

The gavel fell and the people observing fell silent.

"Court is called today to hear the case against Diego Armando, AKA Godot, charged with murdering Officer Grant Peirce." The judge bellowed, glaring down at the two lawyers as he always did at the start of a trial, "Are you ready, councillors?"

Miles smiled, flicking his fringe from his eyes, "The prosecution is ready, your honour."

Phoenix couldn't disguise the blush, he always blushed when Miles did that thing with his hair. The ass, already deliberately trying to wind up his opposition and compromise Nick's ability to think…

He realised everyone was looking at him.

"Ah! The defence is ready, your honour!" he blurted, blushing even darker.

The Judge rolled his eyes, "Do try and pay attention, Mr. Wright." He paused and took a long hard stare at the defendant's chair. "Excuse me, the defendant will not drink coffee during the trial!"

"Dare you to come down here and take it." Godot replied with a grin. Phoenix groaned inwardly, copping attitude with the judge wasn't going to help an already wobbly case.

"Ahem!" Miles snapped, narrowing his eyes slightly, "The prosecution intends to prove that Mister Armando, while visiting a friend in prison, viciously stabbed Officer Peirce!" he reached and lifted one of the evidence bags on the table before him, "Presenting exhibit A, the murder weapon, found wrapped in a cloth at the crime scene."

There was an eight-inch knife in the evidence bag, still stained with blood, wrapped around the handle of it was a shred of red cloth. Certainly it looked a pretty cruel weapon, in the observers galleries people were muttering and staring at Godot.

Phoenix blinked, "Objection! The defence hasn't had a chance to examine this!"

"Objection!" Miles snapped back, "It's been examined by the police, surely you don't doubt their processing?" he didn't wait for comment, he could see Phoenix already going into terror-sweat mode. "The prosecution theorises that the knife was held with the cloth around the handle in order to prevent fingerprints being found."

Nick bit his lip. He'd forgotten what Miles was like once he got into a courtroom, he didn't give his opponents time to object, his arguments were iron-clad, suppositions perfectly logical. There just wasn't room to argue.

"The murder took place in the locked visitor's room of the maximum security women's prison, your honour. It is completely impossible for anyone other than the victim and the defendant to have been in the room when the murder took place."

The judge looked intrigued. "Oh-hoh, why is that?"

_Here's my chance_. Nick thought, knowing it would take Miles a good few minutes to explain a concept like 'electric card scanner' to a man like the Judge, who appeared to be under the impression that electricity was 'magic'.

"Maya…" Nick hissed, "any ideas?"

"Umh… um… well, we know Mister Godot didn't do it…" she whimpered. "Don't we?"

No help there then. Phoenix closed his eyes.

_Think like Mia. Don't try and prove your theory, prove his_ _theory incorrect and try to fill in the blanks._

_Ok. That means either Godot and Peirce weren't the only ones in the room. Is it possible for someone else to have got in_?

"Objection!"

Miles and the Judge turned their faces back to Nick, gesturing wildly into the air as he was.

Nick smirked and lifted his list of notes. "I invite the prosecution to _prove_ it's impossible for anyone else to have got into the room." He said calmly, tapping the paper with one hand.

Miles visibly flinched, grasping the table, "It's impossible because the door needs a key card to be opened!"

"Objection! Every guard in that facility has such a card!" Phoenix replied, feeling his heart start to race, god he'd missed matching wits with someone like Miles, it was always so intense with him.

Miles' eyes narrowed further, "The camera footage clearly shows-!"

"Ah!" Nick quipped, before Miles could finish, "Where is this footage, the defence has yet to have opportunity to examine it!" he tilted his head, hands on his hips, "Really Miles, it's suspicious when you don't present evidence right away."

He'd intended it as a jovial jab, something to rile Miles up a little and nothing more. It was so easy to forget the events that brought them back together after all, the rumours that had haunted Miles from the start of his career.

The air in the room turned to ice.

In the defendant's chair, Godot sipped his coffee. "Ahh, don't poke the sleeping tiger, Trite."

"…The defence can examine all the evidence he likes." Miles voice was neutral, but his expression could have killed at close range. "Exhibit B, the security footage taken from the visitor's room."

The Baliff obediently pushed the trolley with the t.v. at ready into the centre of the room, pushing play on the machine.

The court watched in silence. The camera was pointed right at the two chairs and table in the visitor's room. After a moment a shape that was recognisable as Godot only through the striped waistcoat walked on, heading for the chairs and settling into one of them.

Then the screen went white, a second or two later and the image of Godot reappeared, heading towards the camera looking concerned.

Then the footage cut out.

Miles folded his arms. "As the court witnessed, the footage showing the actual murder appears to be missing." He raised an eyebrow, "Very convenient, don't you think?"

Nick frowned, "I'm sure my client doesn't think so." He muttered, then in a more normal tone spoke; "Your honour, may I examine the footage again?"

_Maybe by looking again I'll be able to work out what's happened to the footage._

Miles huffed to himself, not bothering himself with watching it again, let Phoenix flail about as he always did, it was a locked room mystery containing only two people, even Phoenix 'Pull it out of his ass' Wright couldn't prove anything with incomplete footage.

"Hold it!"

Miles' head shot up so fast he wrenched his neck, wincing slightly, he snapped, "What?"

"This footage isn't incomplete!" Nick declared, "The camera is positioned right next to the card scanner, the moments of video where the camera appears to cut out in fact shows…" Nick dug into his briefcase and withdrew a guard pass from the facility, "One of these!"

Miles flinched. How had he not thought of that? He was inclined to blame Gumshoe. He grit his teeth, "…Granted, but that proves nothing, only that the victim scanned his card once inside the room and was attacked as he did so."

Nick shook his head, "It proves the possibility that someone else entered the room! Think about it; why would Officer Peirce scan his card a second time once he's in the room? We know he didn't leave the room, so the only conclusion we can draw is that he was letting someone in!"

Edgeworth bent over his table, eyes darkening.

_Damn you Wright._

_March 28__th__ 4:00pm  
>Outside District Court Building<em>

"Hehe, you did pretty well in there today Trite." Godot commented to the younger attourney. "Brought me another day anyway."

Nick blushed, trying to appear humble, "It was nothing. Anyway now we have a lead, someone else came into the room and killed Pierce… you're sure you didn't see anything?"

Godot tensed slightly. "…No. I know that sounds impossible but…"

Maya shook her head, jumping in between the two, "No, don't be sorry mister Godot! You can't help it, if you didn't see someone then you didn't see them, maybe it was uh… a spirit!"

Nick and Godot exchanged looks.

"Well anyway, we'll get to the bottom of this," Nick declared, shaking his client's hand. "Don't worry about it."

Godot smirked and nodded, "Will do kid. Don't you sweat it too much either… I think you've got other stuff to worry about."

Phoenix looked momentarily puzzled, then followed Godot's line of sight, over his shoulder to…

Ah. To where Edgeworth was arguing with Gumshoe. Nick hadn't seen him so angry for some time. He gave his client and Maya a weak smile. "I… um… I better go talk to…"

"Your kitten?" Godot suggested with a grin. "I'd recommend some flowers and candy too, that remark about evidence hit a nerve."

Phoenix winced, he'd regretted that comment the second he made it. He supposed that he'd picked up some of Miles' own tricks, seeking out the weakness in his opponent and exploiting it. He nodded his goodbyes to Godot and Maya, and edged slowly towards his fiancé.

"Uh, Miles?"

Miles turned, stopping his berating of Gumshoe (who took the chance to flee the building) and glaring daggers at Nick.

"It um… got pretty rough in there, huh?" Nick asked nervously.

Miles didn't reply, just folding his arms.

"…I'm sorry for the comment about the evidence, you know how it is Miles, I have to do whatever I can for my client and-"

"Your client is a murderer, that's not speculation, he's been to prison for doing so-"

"Because he was protecting Maya, Miles I explained this, you were _there_!" Nick protested defensively about the man who had protected Maya in her time of greatest need, as well as one of his last few links with Mia herself.

"Yes, a lot of claptrap about channelling, as I recall." Miles replied sharply, brushing his fringe from his eyes and picking up his briefcase.

"…Just because you don't believe in something doesn't mean it's not true. Anyway let's not forget I've defended people on trumped-up murder charges before, one of them was _you_."

The air between the two men crackled as their eyes met.

"...You know what Nick, don't bother coming to my place tonight." Miles sniped, his knuckles white on the handle of his briefcase.

Phoenix flinched, but the red mist was descending in his mind as well, folding his arms he replied, "Oh, mature response, Miles. I say something you disagree with so you go hide in your room?"

"Well as you find me such immature company, you won't mind me reconsidering our whole engagement!"

Miles didn't wait to see the response, just turned and hurried for the stairs to the car park, knowing Nick wouldn't be able to follow him there. He raced down the steps two at a time and to his shame, ran across the parking lot to his own car without a care for his appearance.

He fell into the driver's seat with a sigh and rested his head on the top of the wheel.

Had he really said that? That he was reconsidering marrying Nick altogether? Had he really run out of the lobby like a moody teenage girl? How _embarrassing_.

He ought to go back, apologise for his reaction and try to explain how the stress of the case was getting to him. Maybe they could go and catch an early dinner or something?

Except Miles knew his pride would never allow him to do that. Besides, Nick had done plenty of wrongs as well, and really…

Really, had they looked like a couple that should be together? Like the sort of pair who should try and build a home and start living happily ever after? It was hardly a good sign that he genuinely didn't like the thought of Nick in his living space, and after all this…

Despite his word-perfect knowledge of the legal system, Miles found himself at a loss. Mixed up in misery and confusion, he turned the key in the ignition and drove out into the LA afternoon sun.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: ^^; still on the case, warning in this chapter for a bit of a odd pairing, also some language

_March 28__th__ 6:00pm  
>Palace Apartment Building<br>Penthouse Suite_

Miles stared at the Steel Samurai episode playing on his t.v. without taking in a moment of it. On the floor at his feet, Pess whined, then nudged his head onto his master's lap.

Miles blinked then patted the animal's head. "…I don't know what to do, Pess. I've had enough of being hurt by people I love."

Pess whined again, expressive brown eyes narrowing.

"Oh, not you boy. You didn't do anything. It was Nick." Miles was aware talking to his dog like this could have been considered mad, but until Nick came along he had precious few others to talk to. At least Pess was a good listener and didn't encumber him with unwanted advice.

He wasn't too forthcoming with the wanted advice either.

"Pess," Miles said softly, "I need some help."

The dog's reaction was instant, he'd learnt quickly about his master's morose moods and understood the word 'help', so he stood up, tail wagging in delight at the idea of helping, and scurried to the side-table.

Miles watched, amused, as the dog awkwardly placed his paws on the flat surface and nudged the photo frame with his nose.

It was the one taken after Von Karma's downfall. Of the whole of their little group… him and Nick next to each other, sharing an expression of triumph. Look back at it now, Miles could see the adoration in Nick's eyes that he'd completely missed before. If he'd said something sooner, maybe Miles wouldn't have run off to Europe when that mess happened with Damon Gant…

Miles sighed, "No Pess, I can't call Nick. Not yet."

Pess whined, ears drooping. He tilted his head as dogs do when thinking very hard, then barked and leant his head forwards, picking up the phone in his jaws and scurrying to place it on Miles' lap.

Miles was impressed. "I said I can't call Nick, Pess." He chided, but gently. Sighing he pushed the button to play back his messages for the day anyway. Not that he expected any, most of his work was conducted on his cell and-

"_Hello Miles, this is Franziska, just calling to tell you I've had a discussion with those two foolish fools and they've agreed I should be your best woman, understand?"_

Miles smirked, despite his mood. He thought Gumshoe was limping a bit today, evidently Franziska thought the honour worth fighting for. Still, that meant her wrath would be doubled if there was no wedding.

Franziska.

Well, it was a thought. She wasn't the warmest of people but damn if the woman couldn't make an argument. Maybe sympathy wasn't what he needed right now but facts. He dialled.

"_Ja!"_

Miles flinched at her manner of answering the phone, "_Guten tag_, Frannie." He paused, hearing her huff at his nickname for her. "Can I have a moment or two of your time?"

At the other end of the line, Miles imagined he could see his step-sister (for lack of a better term) examining her watch, then heard her snap, "All right. What do you want?"

Miles opened his mouth to reply _'Nick and I are having some problems' _but then realised that Frannie would simply reply with '_Then solve them, fool!'_ and probably whip the phone.

"Hurry up Miles, unlike you, us real lawyers don't have time to sit about drinking tea and doing our hair all day." Franziska snapped, annoyed with the hesitation.

Miles blinked, spurred into words by her comment, "I do not sit around doing my hair!"

"You did when we were children. Really, how no-one realised you were a fruit before Wright is a mystery beyond even my skills."

Miles blushed, part of him wanted to argue back, it probably wasn't healthy to find comfort in argument but it was what he'd grown up with. He fought the urge to reply with some comment that Franziska herself was hardly a picture of a straight woman and replied, "All right, to business then. I suppose you know Nick and I have been assigned the same case?"

Franziska's smile was audible, "_Ja_, and I'll be watching closely. A Von Karma does not loose, you'll remember."

Miles bit back a comment about him not being a Von Karma at all, "Of course. The thing is, he's arguing for someone I'm certain is a killer," he paused then added, "That's fine, it's his client, I don't agree with it but it's his job and someone has to do it. But he's attacking me personally as well." Miles sighed, "Bringing up things about… Evidence tampering. That sort of thing."

Franziska snorted and Miles winced at the sound, for someone raised in such finery she could be so unladylike at times.

"Resorting to petty insults, the last refuge of the foolish!" she declared, Miles heard her whip crack over the phone. "But Miles, if you're certain the defendant is the killer, then you're probably right, aren't you?"

Here Miles hesitated. He didn't like to admit to less than certainty, but the truth was he wasn't _sure_. He just knew the statistics and there seemed so little room for argument in the case. "Remember the incident involving Maya up at the Hazukura temple?"

"_Ja._ That was the last time we faced one another in court, _mien Bruder_."

Miles smiled, "Well the defendant in this case is the one who was convicted for the murder. Godot, He's already been to prison for murder; therefore it's not unlikely he'd kill again."

Franziska hummed in agreement. "Sound logic, so what has Wright so convinced he's innocent?"

"Partially because the man was involved with Mia Fey, and partially because the initial murder was done to defend Maya. You know Nick, his policy is to believe whatever _Scheiße_ his clients tell him." Miles explained, hesitating again. Secretly, he rather admired Nick's ability to believe in people, to believe anyone could be telling the truth. He admired it far more than his own past system of 'assume everyone is guilty until proven otherwise'.

"Frannie, I didn't really call to talk about the case..." he said softly, then swallowed, trying to rid himself of the sudden lump in his throat, sprung, he suspected, from his fear that this really was the end of him and the man he loved. "I told Nick I'm reconsidering the marriage. I've been... having a lot of doubts about him even moving in with me, and then with these personal attacks in court, it's making me think… this isn't how things are supposed to be."

He heard the intake of breath, short and clipped. He knew Franziska far too well, because he knew that little breath meant she was actually rather shocked and even a little upset.

"Miles, are you telling me the engagement is off?" she growled. "Because that does not bode well with me."

The older man bit his lip, there was the crux of it. Was this the end or was it fixable? Which did he want it to be?

"Well... I've still got the ring but I'm having a lot of doubts... I know, you've fought Larry and Gumshoe for the right to stand with me but I have to think about what would be a good life for me and Nick and I just..." miles let out a low sigh, trying to release some of the doubt in his heart. "I don't know anymore."

There was a moment or two of silence.

"Oh for goodness sake!" Franziska snapped, Miles heard the whip crack again and wondered if she was attacking the phone itself, no matter, the noise alone made him wince after all the years he'd put up with being her target. "Are you seriously suggesting you would break up a relationship over a mere argument? Have you been living in a box, Miles? Relationships are hard sometimes, you deal with it!"

Miles opened his mouth, about to reply with more discussion of his doubts, but she cut him off before the first syllable was out. The Von Karma way, don't give your opponent time to object.

"As for thinking it should always be easy, you're clearly living in one of your American Disney films. If it's easy, it's not worth doing. Why do you think we Von Karmas always take on the most challenging cases?"

Miles paused, and so did she, giving him time to come up with the answer. Although he could imagine she would be impatiently waggling her whip, readying for another strike if he replied with foolishness.

"... The reward's always better the harder the case." He replied, finally. "...I'm being stupid."

It wasn't something he liked to admit, but it was true. What was he thinking, calling off all of this because of an argument? He and Nick had always argued, it was part of their courtship, so to speak. And what was he doing telling Franziska about his doubts? There was only one person he should have been discussing this with, one man with stupid spikey hair and a daft grin.

"If you ever tell anyone I said I'm being stupid, I'm telling people you slept with a cuddly pony until you were twelve." Miles added, smiling in his heart, he couldn't very well let his little sister off without some mild teasing.

He almost heard her very faint blush, "Hm. The very idea that you would think me a gossip is almost as ridiculous as you having the gonads to speak of such things." The whip cracked again. "And it was a Stallion, not a pony."

Miles laughed softly, "Of course. I suppose I've got to call Nick and tell him it's back on."

"You do that. And be sure to tell him my role in the wedding..." there was a hesitation, then, "Actually no, wait, I want to be there to see his face when you tell him." She laughed in that odd, slightly unnerving way she had, "I suppose that means I shall be walking with Miss Maya down the aisle?"

Miles found himself laughing along with her, it felt good, a release of tension, and all the better because now he could hang up and call Nick and get all this sorted out. "Probably. Out of curiosity, can Larry still walk or did you break him for the chance of being my best man?"

_March 28__th__ 6:30pm  
>Phoenix Wright's apartment<em>

Nick kicked another one of the cardboard boxes littering his flat, then whimpered as he discovered via his toes that it was full of heavy law books.

He didn't _get it_. Ok so he deserved the glares Miles had given him for the comment about the evidence, and he sure as hell could see why he'd be less than welcome at the flat tonight, with them working the same case it wasn't a good idea even if they were on speaking terms. But to call off the whole wedding?

After the initial horror and shock, he'd sunk deeply into confusion. If there were problems beyond this case, he didn't know what they were, he and Miles had seemed so happy lately, he'd even been settling into home-life at Miles' penthouse. Hell, the other day he even fed that pampered dog without being asked.

Nick just didn't get it.

He sank down onto his ratty old sofa, staring mournfully at his case file, focusing on it rather than Miles would help.

Even with this new information that Officer Peirce could have let another person into the room, it wasn't good. Godot was going to be called to testify tomorrow and Miles was bound to ask how anyone could miss a third man entering the room. Even if Nick argued Godot's vision was limited, it wouldn't help. That room was tiny, even Godot would have noticed a third man.

He sighed and turned to the murder weapon evidence. Maybe there was something here he could use. No fingerprints and the victim's blood on the blade.

That cloth wrapped around the handle was bothering him. Phoenix had been doing this long enough to know that most criminals wore gloves when they planned a murder, and this one had 'planned' written all over it.

It was disturbing really. The cloth was so soaked in blood that it was fully red, speaking volumes about the viciousness of the crime, and…

_The colour red doesn't exist in my world._

Nick blinked.

He looked again at the cloth, squinting a little.

If it was red from being soaked in blood, why was there no gap where the killer's hand had been?

"The cloth was red to start with!" Nick screamed in delight; leaping to his feet with excitement as a puzzle piece fell into place. "The damn thing was red to begin with!"

Ignoring the thuds as his upstairs neighbour banged on the floor to shut him up, Nick jumped over his half-finished packing and seized the phone, dialling the police department. He needed analysis done on that cloth, and _now_.

_March 28__th__ 7:30pm  
>14 Hospital Road<em>

"You didn't have to walk me home Kitten." Godot commented, but not unkindly. He could never be unkind to little Maya.

Maya smiled sweetly as she followed the man into his small house. "It's no trouble Mister Godot! I never get to walk our clients back home usually, they're always in the detention centre." She blushed a little, realising she'd said the wrong thing. "I mean…"

Godot laughed, hanging his coat on a carefully-marked peg on the wall. "Relax kitten. I still have some pull with the police, besides, I'm just a helpless old blind man, remember?"

"Oh, you're not old! Or Helpless!" Maya protested, glancing around what little of the hall she could see by the red light of his visor. She noted the lack of any unnecessary furniture, and the thin brass rail along one side of the hall. Presumably it was there to guide him if he found himself without the visor.

He turned and began to walk down the hallway towards the kitchen. When he senses Maya wasn't following him he realised with some amusement at his own expense that he hadn't turned the light on, making the hall pitch-black to someone without his particular ability. Quickly he turned back and flicked the switch on. "Sorry kitten, been a long time since I had company. Speaking of which, how are you getting home?"

She smiled adorably. "Oh, I can catch a bus, I-"

Godot shook his head, "No, no, I'm afraid I can't allow a little girl like you to go out there all alone." He grinned, "There's dangerous men out there."

Maya blinked, then seemed to get the irony of that statement and burst into giggles.

"I'll call you a cab." Godot added, "My treat for you being so kind to the blind guy."

Maya shook her head once more, finally getting up the nerve to follow him into his kitchen. "Oh come on, you barely even count as blind." She commented, looking around, once more struck by the lack of unnecessary things. The coffee machine had braille markings on its switches, and all the cupboards, stainless steel, had little name-plates bolted onto their bottom right hand corners with more braille on them.

In no rush to send the girl on her way, Godot flicked the coffee machine on and watched her staring around the room with some amusement. Finally he spoke up with, "I didn't get the visor right away. They came up with it a year after I came back from the dead. I uh… had to adapt for a year. It was kind of strange going back to seeing after that."

Maya nodded, looking torn between impressed and awkward. "…Do you mind me asking about… what it's like?" she asked, a small stammer in her voice.

Inside, she wondered at how lonely he had to be, the house was clearly set up just for him, she sensed any woman who lived there would at least put out some flowers or something, something he could still enjoy without his sight.

Maybe after her sister, there really couldn't be anyone else for this poor man.

Maya's heart ached for him. She made a decision in her mind. First off, she needed him to take off the visor.

Godot shook his head, leaning on the counter with a smile. "Not at all kitten, I'd rather people ask than just stare all the time."

Maya smiled at this permission granted and took another quick look around the room, "Is it hard learning braille?"

"Depends." Godot replied, "I got it pretty quick but I was told kids usually find it easier than adults."

Maya nodded, her top-knot bouncing. "…Ok, what's it like when you take the visor off? I mean, is it all black or all white or is it like in Daredevil, can you 'see' stuff if it makes a noise?"

Godot laughed hard at this, god he liked this kid, she reminded him of a younger Mia, naïve and sweet. "It's all black. I can get a sense of where things are, kind of how you can sense when someone's behind you, yanno? And if the place is familiar, I can walk around ok."

Maya's eyes widened, "Wow… so if you took it off you could walk around your house fine?"

Always happy to impress a girl, Godot reached up to his visor, pressing gently on the release catches at the sides and sliding it off in one smooth movement. "Ok, where should I go?"

Maya's voice, tight with excitement at a demonstration, chirped, "Oh! Pour yourself a coffee and come sit at the table!"

Godot nearly laughed, he did that so often he barely used the visor anyway. Still, since she was amused by this, he did just that. Grasped his mug from where it always rested, poured a cup of special blend #132 and without having to reach out at all, crossed the kitchen floor to the table and sat.

"Impressed, kitten?"

"Very, tiger. Good to see you didn't let it slow you down."

It was lucky he'd been resting the mug on the table anyway; otherwise it would have shattered on the floor in seconds. As it was, the shudder just made some of it spill. Not that he noticed. His face turned sharply to where he knew the other chair was.

"What's wrong Diego? Cat got your tongue?"

"Y…you can't be here." He stammered.

Hands, warm and soft as he remembered, slid out and took his own shaking ones. "Hush, hush. I'm here, don't question how. The important part is that I'm here."

Godot swallowed. He'd never wanted his visor more in his life. He turned his head back to where he'd left it.

"Ah-ah-ah! No, Diego. You don't need to see me to know me, do you?"

She even smelled the same, of that perfume that she said was too expensive but she liked so much that she always made her finances stretch. He'd brought her a bottle once, for an anniversary.

"No, kitten." He replied, obedient as a dog. "But-"

"Shhh." She whispered, he felt her finger rest against his lips and unable to resist, he kissed the tip of that digit.

She chuckled softly, how he'd missed that laugh. "Good. Now come on, you need to show me which way to go, this place is new."

Nodding weakly, unable to form the questions he knew he should be asking, Godot stood. This had to be a dream, maybe he'd slipped and gone unconscious, maybe he'd had the heart attack he'd been semi-expecting since the day he woke up. That would probably throw the trial into disarray.

Still, for now, he didn't want to question a thing.

_March 29__th__, 9:00am  
>District Court Building Lobby<em>

Phoenix skimmed over the report Gumshoe had thrust into his hands the moment he walked into the courthouse, it confirmed everything he'd suspected. The cloth wrapped around the murder weapon's handle wasn't blood-stained, it was just a piece of red cloth; the only blood was on the blade itself.

He wasn't quite sure what that meant yet, but it was something. Maybe he could use it to draw something out of Godot today when the man was called to testify. Nick smiled a little to himself and wondered what Mia would think.

"Dollar forty-nine for your thoughts, Nicky?"

Nick's head jerked up and he raised an eyebrow at Maya, he really ought to ask her how she managed to appear out of no-where like that. "It's 'a penny for your thoughts' Maya."

"It is? Huh, well I still need a dollar forty-nine for a snack from the vending machine." The mystic replied with a sly smile. "C'mooon! You owe me for bringing Mister Godot in." she nodded to the taller man beside her, looking strangely subdued this morning.

Phoenix smirked, "Bringing him in?" he glanced to Godot, trying to meet his invisible eyes. "I suspect it's the other way around…"

Maya pouted, opening her mouth to protest, but Godot cut her off, handing her a five-dollar bill from his waistcoat pocket. "Here ya go kitten. Get me a coffee too while you're at it."

Maya beamed and bowed, "Thank you Mister Godot! You're so much more generous than Nick!" she turned and stuck her tongue out at Nick, then scurried off to the vending machines.

Nick rolled his eyes and turned his attention onto his client. "Sorry she's been bothering you. But the good news is that I might have a new lead in this case. I'm gonna have to be tough on you in court but-"

"Please, Trite, I've come back from the dead, there's nothing your words can do to hurt me." Godot replied without seeming to engage at all. He turned and stared out of the window, distracted. "…Trite, little Maya…" he paused then shook his head. "Nevermind. I'm gonna go help the kid pick a snack." He muttered, then wandered off after the girl.

Phoenix shook his head, _What's got into everyone lately?_

Across the lobby, at the big glass doors, Miles strolled in and took an immediate scan of the room, smiling as he spotted Nick, who appeared to be engrossed in a file, which made a change.

Miles was surprised at how much he'd missed the man. He'd tried to call him the night before, but every time the line had been engaged, and eventually in the small hours he'd given up and decided on apologising in person. That night he'd slept uneasily for the first time in a long time, missing the feeling of Nick next to him, feeling safe and protected and loved.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself, then took the first step towards the man he loved.

"Mister Edgeworth!"

Miles bit his lip and made a solemn promise to himself that he would have Gumshoe's head stuffed and mounted on his wall. "Yes, Detective Gumshoe?"

Gumshoe must have sensed the tone, because he suddenly looked hesitant. "Uh… we've got some new information on your case."

"Obviously, or you wouldn't have bothered me." Miles snapped back. "What is it Gumshoe?"

"Well Mister Wright called the department last night and asked us to analyse the cloth wrapped around the knife handle and uh…" he paused and handed over the file.

Miles gave it a puzzled look, but opened and read quickly.

"Son of a…" he hissed between clenched teeth. "Gumshoe! Get back to the crime lab at once and tell them I want a full work-up done on the cloth, anything, no matter how insignificant, needs to be reported." He frowned, the creases in his forehead showing. "What the hell is going on here?"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Warnings once more for language

_March 29__th__ 9:10 am  
>District Court building,<br>Courtroom no. 4_

"Order, order!" The Judge called, despite there being no particular disorder in the courtroom. Nick wondered if he just liked saying it. "Defence, Prosecution, are you ready to begin?"

Nick nodded, "The defence is ready your honour." He eyed Edgeworth with a nervous smile.

"As is the prosecution." Miles replied, "Your honour, owing to recent revelations regarding the murder weapon I have asked for further analysis and ask the court to allow for the results to be provided before we make any further mention of it."

"So noted, the defence will refrain from discussing the murder weapon until results are obtained." The judge boomed out.

Nick flinched and frowned, damn Miles. And Gumshoe, the policeman was so fiercely loyal to Miles that he'd probably gone and spilled his guts about what Nick had worked out already about that cloth, not having it in his arsenal would make today's testimony all the harder.

"The Prosecution calls the defendant to the stand."

Over at the Defendant's chair, Godot smirked and rose, moving like a panther across the courtroom to the box and brushing back his white hair with one hand. He placed the other on the offered bible, "I swear to tell the truth, whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help me god. And coffee."

The gavel banged, "Mister Godot, you will refrain from-"

"Can we just get on with this?" the man asked calmly, his smirk not leaving his face.

Miles shook his head to himself, he didn't envy Nick, working with a man like this, who seemed to be almost determined to annoy the judge even at his own trial. He cleared his throat, "Mister Godot, would you please testify about what happened the day of the murder?"

Godot sniggered, "Sure thing prettyboy." In a pretty accurate impression of Miles, he cleared his own throat and flicked his head as if moving his fringe, (by Nick's side, Maya giggled). "I was visiting a friend in the prison. I rode the bus out there, handed all metal objects in at the security check and then followed Officer Peirce into the visitor's room. I was sat there waiting maybe, ten, fifteen minutes when I heard a noise by the door. When I looked around Officer Peirce was falling to the ground." Godot paused and looked away, though with the visor in the way it was difficult to discern what he was feeling. "There was nothing I could do."

Nick rubbed his chin as the testimony closed. Well it wasn't a lot to work with. He glanced sidelong to Maya.

She looked thoughtful, knowing what he was about to ask, "Well we know Mister Godot didn't do it, right Nick? So… I guess you just have to press and try and find any info you can." She paused, taking another look at the man, "I just know in my heart he didn't do it."

Nick shook his head to himself, wondering once again what was with her today. She seemed weirder than usual.

He'd work that out later, he turned his eyes on Godot and went over the testimony in his mind. Press everything, find the info the guy didn't even realise he was withholding.

"Mister Godot… this friend you were visiting, tell us more about her."

"Her?" the Judge exclaimed.

Edgeworth sighed in a long-suffering manner, oh for a Judge who would actually read the briefs. "The prison which hosted this murder is a women's prison, your honour. It stands to reason that the defendant was visiting a woman."

Godot looked slightly uncomftable for the first time that day. "It's got nothing to do with the case… but if you're that eager to find out, check out the visitor's registration. You have to book time in advance, it lists prisoners and visitors."

Nick muttered under his breath and glanced to Edgeworth, "I assume the prosecution is in possession of this list?"

Miles nodded, drawing it from his pile of evidence, "Mister Godot was visiting one Miss Iris Hawthorne."

There was a beat of silence.

"Mister Wright, please continue the cross-examination."

Maya flinched, glancing to Nick and noting the expression of sudden pain on his face. She reached across and touched his arm lightly. "Nick… don't lose it now."

A barely perceptible shudder ran through Nick's body. He took a deep breath, "Sorry, your honour, this line of questioning has nothing to do with the case, I was mistaken." He swallowed hard and forced his mind onto the testimony, thinking about it from all angles.

Something just wasn't sitting right with him.

"Hold it! Officer Peirce just fell? You didn't hear any sounds before that? No sign of struggle?"

Godot smirked. "I wish. I just saw him falling."

Nick frowned, this didn't add up at all, how could he not have heard the sound of struggling?

…

_Because there wasn't a struggle!_

Nick's eyes went wide, and when he glanced up at Miles he saw that same expression of sudden realisation.

"Your honor!" Nick called, "The defence wishes to present a theory! If Mister Godot truly did not hear a struggle then it's possible Officer Peirce was killed by someone he knew and trusted, that also explains why he would open the door a second time!"

The viewing gallery buzzed with chatter.

Miles winced at this leap of logic. Damn it, why the hell did Nick always manage to do this? Pull something out of thin air that no-one with a logical brain would ever work out.

Nick bent over his desk slightly, on a roll now. "Mister Godot, you said you saw the victim fall, but not another person in the room, are you absolutely sure of that?"

Godot paused, the lights in his visor flashed. "…Sorry Trite, I didn't see anyone."

Around the room everyone began to chatter, the two Lawyers stared, deep in thought, at the defendant, both pondering the same thing.

_How can there be a third person in the room and not be at the same time?_

"Mister Edgeworth, Mister Wright!" The judge barked, "I believe you to have come to court today with only half of the evidence in place! As such, I am calling a fifteen minute recess in order for you to work out exactly what happened that caused the death of this young man."

The gavel thumped three times.

_March 29__th__ 11:00am  
>District Court building<br>lobby_

Nick groaned and rubbed his forehead, turning to Maya, "Any chance of Mia showing up to save our bacon?"

Maya pondered this for a moment, then smirked, "I like bacon."

Nick banged his head on the desk. "Maya!"

"I'm sorry Nick, sometimes she comes and sometimes she doesn't!" Maya protested weakly, lowering her head in a sad fashion. "Besides my powers aren't at top level today, I've been using them too much."

Nick raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean, I havn't seen Mia in-"

"Leave off the kid, Trite." Godot said calmly, walking over from the coffee machine with a paper cup full of his drug of choice. "Mia's successor ought to be able to do this without her holding his hand the whole time." He let out a low yawn, "Sorry. Didn't sleep last night…" he sipped his coffee, then folded his arms with a smirk, "Remember what I told ya? Once you eliminate the impossible…"

"Whatever remains, however improbable, must be fact." Nick finished for him. "All right… then… if there _had_ to be a third person in the room, but you didn't see anyone…"

"Hey Pal!"

The trio turned as one as the doors burst open and Gumshoe pounded into the room. He glanced around, clearly looking for Miles, but not seeing him anywhere, instead almost dove towards Nick, holding a file out in front of him like a shield.

"Pal, we had another look at that red cloth you were suspicious about, Mister Edgeworth asked us to do a full in depth analysis!"

Maya blinked curiously, "How's that different to usual?"

Panting slightly, Gumshoe smiled, "Well see, pal, usual procedure is just to check for blood, prints and anything else on the cloth. In depth we work out what it's made of and anything else that might be useful." He smiled, his shoulders shaking slightly, "Take a look pals!"

Nick opened the folder and examined the pages of scientific discovery within. His eyes narrowed slightly, "Hmm…"

"What is it Nick?" Maya asked, almost bouncing on the spot. "Is it decisive evidence?"

Godot placed a hand on her shoulder, "Settle down kitten. Let the man read."

Nick rubbed his chin. "Possibly…"

"Excuse me?"

Nick turned around and blushed a little in shame. Miles was standing behind him, arms folded. He unfolded them and held out one hand.

"_My_ report, I think." He said, it wasn't an instruction, but Nick obeyed anyway, handing it over. "Officer Gumshoe, what have I told you about handing evidence over to every Tom, Dick and Harry?" he glanced at the little defence group in a condescending manner, "Or Godot, Nick and Maya in this case?"

Gumshoe winced and lowered his head, "I just thought, with you and Mister Wright's situation telling one of you's as good as telling the other…"

There was an awkward silence. Miles lowered his head slightly to look at the ring on his finger, his pretty gold band with a small but special diamond in it.

Nick shook his head to himself. God, there was the other thing he had to sort out, this fight between him and Miles, and if the wedding really was called off altogether or if it was just the tension of the trial. He cleared his throat.

"Miles, can we-"

"Fifteen minutes is almost up, Nick." Miles replied curtly, but there were the beginnings of a smile on his face. "Better get back in there." There was a moment of silence, and then Miles' dark eyes flickered up to Nick's face, "We'll talk when this is over."

With that, Miles turned and swept away, heading back into the courtroom like the pro he was. Nick let out a low sigh.

"Just a guess," Godot commented, "Your Nick, he likes 'em fiery, doesn't he?"

Maya giggled softly, "Hah, and you don't?"

If Nick had been looking, he would have seen a sight few ever saw, Godot blushing. Unfortunately his eyes were still fixed on the retreating figure of his opponent.

"So what did the report say then Nick?" Maya asked anxiously.

Nick bit his lip as he thought it through, he was getting that feeling he always got when something big was about to be stumbled onto. If he made the right choice here, there might yet be a way for him to prove his client not guilty and find the real killer in one move.

"…Maya, I need to you to get Gumshoe and persuade him to search the locker room at the prison. It's a long shot, but I've got a hunch there's something in there we've overlooked because we've all been looking too hard at the crime scene."

Maya blinked, "Huh? But why would there be anything there?"

"It's the room closest to the crime scene where another guard could go without looking suspicious." Nick replied, "…Maya, think about it, if the third person was someone the victim knew and trusted enough to let into the room, most likely it was another guard. I want you to go there and look for anything that seems out of place."

Maya gasped, "Oh wow! You're like a detective, Nick!" she nodded and winked, "I'll do my best and you do yours!"

_March 29__th__ 11:15am  
>District Court Building<br>Courtroom no.4_

"Court will come to order!" The judge called, "Well, after the revelation of a few moments ago I hope the prosecution and the Defence have some intention of explaining what they believe happened in the visitor's room that day?"

Nick didn't reply, merely set his jaw in a determined way. Miles smirked and flicked his hair to one side, "Your honour, I believe I have decisive evidence explaining why Officer Peirce might scan his card twice and _not_ be letting anyone else into the room."

Nick bit the inside of his own mouth, but hid it well. _No you don't, Miles. You don't because you can't. Godot didn't kill that man, which means there __**had**__ to be someone else in the room. I believe in my client more than your surprise witnesses_.

"The prosecution calls Officer Trey Torres to the stand." Miles declared.

The young man, still in his pale blue uniform walked up to the witness box. He smiled gently, with the uniform and those perfect teeth he was looking more and more the perfect young man to take home to meet your grandmother.

"Please state your name and occupation."

"I'm Officer Trey Torres, I work with…" the boy began, then lowered his head, eyes softening a little, "_used_ to work with Officer Peirce in the prison." He clenched his hands and looked up, glaring at Godot, "And that coffee-swilling bastard over there is a murderer!"

Godot sipped his coffee. "I'm insulted. I don't swill."

Nick felt the nervous sweating coming on, of all the things for him to get offended by… "Objection! The Witness is not here to declare Mister Godot's guilt!" he paused, glancing to Miles, "Is he?"

Miles tapped his nose, "Not directly. Officer Torres, would you please testify about the Victim and the way he worked?"

Trey nodded, fringe flopping in his eyes like an adorable puppy's ears. "I'll try…" he cleared his throat. "Officer Peirce and I joined the security team at the prison around the same time, so we usually ended up assigned to the same areas. This month we were on the visitor's room, Peirce was really nervous that nothing should happen on our watch. He was really big on making sure the rooms were secure as possible, especially when we saw Mister Godot was booked in to visit a prisoner." The boy paused, eyeing Godot venomously, "Officer Peirce was on high alert that day, but I guess that wasn't enough."

Up in his chair, the Judge hummed thoughtfully to himself. "I'm not quite sure how this demonstrates why the victim would open the door twice."

Miles bowed elaborately, "All in good time, your honour. I'm rather eager to see how the defence deals with this."

Nick raised an eyebrow. _What are you doing, Miles_?

Well, right now the only option Nick could see was to press for more information. He needed time, needed Maya to get back with what he was sure was hidden in that locker room.

"Hold it! Why would there need to be two officers assigned to the visitor's room? It is after all, only one room and the building itself is a prison, it's hardly insecure."

Trey raised an eyebrow, a small smile appearing on his face, "Mister Wright, what if one of the prisoners or visitors attacks? Even you must see that two gaurds have a better chance than one on his own."

Nick frowned, "But then why is Officer Peirce dead? Shouldn't you have come to help him when you heard a struggle in the room?"

Trey flinched at this, as did Miles at the prosecution bench. The Judge banged his gavel, "Witness will answer the question!"

Trey lowered his head once more, his voice going very small, "…I'm sorry… I stepped away from my station for a few seconds to use the bathroom. I thought Peirce would be ok, the building's so secure and… and I never thought Mister Godot would try to kill him!"

Nick grunted slightly in frustration. Well that was no help, he got some more info but made his client look bad at the same time.

"Um, You said Officer Peirce was particularly eager for the room to be secure when he saw my client's name on the visitor's list, why was that?"

Trey blinked, looking mildly surprised at the question, "Well, we both kept up with the papers when they reported big cases and Mister Godot's trial was the biggest of the last few years!" He smirked, "Peirce was a particular fan of the case. I think between us we knew just about everything there was to know about that case, so you can imagine he was concerned about security when he read a clever and wicked man like Godot was coming in."

Nick frowned a bit. Fans of court cases, just when he thought the world couldn't get any weirder. Still, there didn't seem to be anything useful there, even he would admit it was reasonable for a prison officer to want the room extra secure when a previous offender was coming in.

He tried another angle. "Officer Torres, you mentioned in your testimony that Officer Peirce was eager to make sure the room was secure. Can you tell us more about that?"

The boy nodded, "Oh yes! Officer Peirce was an old-style guard, he didn't really trust the new electronic security measures."

Up on his chair, the Judge nodded, "Ahh yes. I don't trust my car's locks at all, electronic nonsense, what was wrong with a key rather than some silly little remote control?"

Nick rolled his eyes, turning back to the witness. "He didn't trust them?"

Trey nodded, "He'd walk the corridors himself as well as check the camera feeds, and he insisted on searching all visitors by hand as well as with our scanners. He said it paid to be careful." The boy smirked a little, "He even double-checked that the doors were locked whenever he was in the visitor's room."

Nick's eyes widened. Across the room, Miles smiles and added, "A perfectly reasonable assumption could be that Officer Peirce _scanned his card twice to check the door was locked!"_

Nick winced. Behind him in the defendant's chair, Godot smiled in that slightly worried way he sometimes did. "Ouch… how're you gonna pull us out of this one Nick?"

The gavel hammered, "Order! Order! The court sees how this is a good explanation, and with the discrepancy of the door being opened and closed twice the defence's theory of a third man seems to collapse." The old man stroked his beard thoughtfully and glared down at Nick. "If you cannot come up with an alternate murderer then I have no choice but to find Mister Diego Armando, AKA Godot-!"

"HOLD IT!"

The room froze. One by one everyone turned to the entrance of the courtroom.

Maya and Gumshoe were standing there, both panting. Gumshoe held out an evidence bag containing…

Well it just looked like a pile of red material.

"What is the meaning of this?" The Judge demanded.

Maya beamed her most adorable smile, "Oh! We're sorry your honour! It's just we have some evidence here the court needs to see!" she grabbed the bag from Gumshoe's hand and tore it open, pulling the material out and holding it up.

Miles' eyes went wide with terror. Nick stared.

It was a red body-suit, similar to one worn by acrobats and similar when they performed. Part of one sleeve was torn.

"What on earth?" The Judge spluttered, "Is this a Halloween costume?"

Gumshoe rubbed the back of his head nervously, "Truth be told we're not sure, your honour. Miss Maya had an idea that us police should check the locker room next door to the visitor's room, in case there was a secret passage or something…"

Nick smiled slightly, Maya winked back at him. So, that was how his clever little assistant got in.

"While I was checkin the ventilation duct we found this, stuffed up there all secret-like." Gumshoe finished, and grinned widely.

"W-w-well this has nothing to do with our current case!" Miles snapped, "That costume could have been put up there ages ago, and besides, what possible relevance can this have on who killed officer Peirce?"

"Objection!"

Nick grinned, it was the grin Miles hated, the one that meant the man across from him had just worked it all out.

"It has _everything_ to do with our case!" Nick declared, "Your honour, may I demonstrate?"

The Judge, bewildered by all this sudden activity, nodded.

Nick moved to where his assistant was still holding up the suit, then reached to the evidence table and picked up the cloth which had been wrapped around the handle of the blade. In one slow and deliberate movement he unfolded it and held it up to the torn sleeve of the suit.

The two pieces matched perfectly.

"_This_ is what the killer wore when he murdered Officer Peirce!"

The courtroom erupted in chatter.

"We assumed the cloth was there to stop prints being transferred onto the handle of the blade," Nick said calmly, "But what if instead the killer tore off a part of his own sleeve to wipe the prints away? Think about it, if the cloth was wrapped around the handle while it was being used, why is there no blood on it?"

Miles stammered, "Objection! If the victim fell backwards when he was stabbed, it's possible no blood got onto the cloth-"

Nick shook his head, "That doesn't work Mister Edgeworth, you saw the crime scene, Officer Peirce fell _forwards_, against the door, the bloodstains on it prove that, as well as my client's testimony."

"Objection! He was _found_ facing upwards though!"

Godot lifted his mug, "Objection, I tried to help the man, couldn't do that with him facing down. Even the cops will tell you that."

Miles glared at the man, falling silent for a moment, "…All right, but this still doesn't explain who did this and how."

Nick shook his head again, "On the contrary, Miles, this little cloth and suit together prove exactly who did it, and how. The only thing I can't work out…" he turned his eyes slowly to the witness box. Trey Torres was gritting his teeth and looking furious.

"…Is _why_?" Nick finished smoothly.

Trey glowered at him, the innocent face of boyhood was gone so suddenly Nick wondered if it had ever been there at all. "How… how dare you! You can't prove a thing! Godot must be lying, how on earth could he _miss_ another man in the room!"

Nick nodded, "Yeah, I've been wondering about that for two days now. Godot didn't kill the victim, but he also didn't see another person in the room. I've been racking my brains trying to work it out." He winked, "But then I started thinking about it from another point of view. Namely, if Godot didn't _see_ another person, how could a person enter that room without being seen by him."

The judge's lips moved as he tried to follow this logic, then gave up, "Mister Wright, what do you mean?"

"Perhaps it's easier if I demonstrate." Nick declared, and picked up a piece of paper from his desk, followed by a pen with several different ink colours in it. In one quick movement he signed his name on it, holding it up for the court to see, then turned to Godot.

"Mister Godot, can you tell me what is on this paper?"

Godot frowned a little, clearly he too was having trouble following Phoenix's line of logic. "Mocking the blind isn't nice, you know." He muttered. "The colour red doesn't exist in my world. I can't see anything."

Nick grinned and turned, "Precisely! Your honour, my client's mask prevents him from seeing the colour red on a white background! The visitor's rooms are painted completely white!" he turned on Trey once more, "You simply had to enter the room wearing this suit, to Mister Godot you were _completely invisible!_"

Trey flinched and his teeth grit harder, "N-no! How could I know something weird like he can't see red?"

"Objection!"

Nick turned slightly and smiled at Miles' expression, it was the one he always got when he realised he had been lied to by a witness. He tapped the desk irritably, "You yourself stated that you read about Godot's trial. The main turning point of that trial which proved his guilt was Mister Godot's unique inability to see the colour red."

Nick heard Godot muttering something like 'Stop going on and on about it' but ignored him.

Folding his arms, Phoenix spoke up once more, "Here's how I think it happened. You saw Godot's name in the visitor's log and you realised you had a chance to get away with murder. I still don't know why you decided to kill your colleague, but you did. On the day it happened, you smuggled the weapon and this red suit into the prison, not a difficult job for a security guard, and waited. When Godot arrived and Officer Peirce took him to wait in the visitor's room, you took your chance. You pulled on the suit over your own clothes, grabbed the weapon and went to the door. Seeing you dressed so oddly and waiting at the door, Officer Peirce was naturally concerned and opened the door with his key-card."

Nick paused a moment here, going over the events. It all fit, like a jigsaw coming together at last to form a picture.

"That was when you took your chance. You stabbed him three times in the stomach before he'd even removed his card from the scanner. Then you fled, allowing his falling body to close the door behind you. You went straight to the locker room next door and removed the suit, taking the chance to tear off part of the sleeve and wipe off your prints. That was when Godot raised the alarm. You realised if you were caught you'd be done for, so you stuffed the suit into a vent and ran back to the scene. Being the first one there, and with the knife wrapped in red cloth, which Godot cannot see, it was simple to plant it in the room. After that, all you had to do was keep insisting that Godot must have done it."

There was silence in the room, Trey's head was lowered as a man on the way to the execution block.

There came a soft sniggering. Low and insidious.

"Huh?" Nick asked.

Trey's head snapped back up, an evil grin covering his face, eyes dark. "It's… exactly as you said." He growled, then sniggered again. "I thought it was all such a perfect plan… who'll believe a murderer over a security officer, huh!" he brushed a hand through his fringe, "I suppose now you want to know why? Before I'm dragged off to jail?"

Miles folded his arms. "I hardly see why that's necessary-"

The gavel, almost forgotten, banged as the Judge seemed to realise it was supposed to be him running this courtroom. "Order! The uh… accused will explain his motive!"

Trey smiled. Nick really hated that smile, it reminded him of Dahlia's own misleading innocence.

"I told you, Peirce and I were friends… really good friends." He shrugged, "Lovers, if you must know."

On cue, the Judge's eyes widened. "Wh-wh-"

Ignoring him, the handsome young officer went on, "Or at least we were until a few weeks ago. I loved Peirce, I wanted to marry him. But when I asked…" the young man trailed off.

"He turned you down?" Miles prompted.

The boy's head snapped back up like a gunshot, "He said he didn't want to ruin his career with scandal! He thought his stupid little guard job was worth more than me! I thought of loads of ways… loads of ways to get him back… for breaking my heart… and when I saw Godot's name…" he grinned, eyes flashing with the fire of the deranged. "…it was the perfect opportunity."

Silence rang through the courtroom. The judge, sensing he ought to do something, called, "Baliff! Take this young man away!" then turned his eyes back onto the two lawyers, still looking slightly shocked, and the coffee-drinking defendant. "Well, in light of this revelation, the court has no choice but to find Diego Armando, AKA Godot; _NOT GUILTY!_"

_March 29__th__ 5:00pm  
>District court building<br>Lobby_

If there was confetti thrown that day by the over-zealous observers, Nick didn't notice it. He exited the room with Maya and Godot at his sides, mind still full of all that had happened.

"…Wow… I never would have figured it was a broken heart that lead to this." Maya muttered.

"I would." Godot added. "Broken hearts leave sharp shards, kitten. It's all too easy to pick up a piece and hurt someone with it." He turned his head slightly towards the doors. "Thanks, Nick, I know it must have been hard to believe me after everything."

Nick shook his head, "Not really. I knew Mia never would have loved someone capable of killing an innocent man." He paused, "Hey, wait, you called me N-"

"I think I'm gonna go on home." Godot cut him off, "Long day." He hesitated, then glanced to Maya, "Care to keep a helpless old blind man company?"

Maya smiled, if Nick had been paying attention, he might have seen her blush. "Oh! Sure I will! But shouldn't I stay with Nick and-"

Godot shook his head, glancing back to the courtroom doors. "Nick's got something else he needs to do right now. Come on, I'll make you some special blend #02."

Nick watched them both walking out of the doors, it was rather sweet really, they both probably missed Mia and found comfort in one another, that was why they made good, if odd-looking, friends. He sighed and rubbed his neck, pondering his own return home. He wasn't sure where he should go, back to his own place or…

Someone almost ran into him from behind and two magenta-clad arms wrapped around his waist. He wobbled slightly from the impact, about to complain, until he caught the scent of the cologne he knew very well.

"…Miles?" he asked softly. Miles was never big on public displays of affection, it'd taken weeks for him to even agree to holding hands, and yet here he was embracing Nick in the courthouse, where all of their colleagues would see.

Speaking into Nick's shoulder, Miles mumbled, "There is _nothing_ in my life as important as you. Not my stupid over-clean apartment and certainly not my career…" he pulled out of the embrace, blushing furiously and clashing with his suit. "I…wanted you to know that."

Nick turned to face the man, still looking puzzled. "Miles…"

"I've been having some doubts." Miles admitted, looking away in shame, "I got a bit… scared when I noticed you bringing things over to my home… I suppose I just didn't like the idea of all this change, but after today… I'd rather learn to put up with all the changes you're going to cause than hurt you as badly as Trey Torres was hurt."

Nick blinked, and then smiled and reached his arms out around the other man, stroking his soft silvery-brown hair he replied, "Miles, it's ok… I know you don't like when things change, all you had to do was tell me and we could figure it out. As for hurting me… whatever Trey was feeling in the end, it wasn't love. Even if you broke my heart as hard as you could, I'd still rather you were alive, the world's a lot more interesting with you in it."

Miles drew back, Nick couldn't tell for sure but he thought he could see traces of tears in the man's eyes.

"Nick, let's go get married. Right now. The Judge is still here, he can preside and-"

Nick laughed, he laughed at Miles' sudden eagerness, then leant and kissed his cheek. "…Brilliant as that sounds, Miles, you're tired from the case and not thinking straight, you'd only hate me if I let you get married in a dingy courthouse like this." He stroked the man's fringe from his eyes, noting the slight disappointment at his romantic gesture falling flat. "Lets go home and set a date for it, eh?"

Miles hesitated, just for a second, then smiled and nodded. "All right."

_March 29__th__ 11:00pm  
>Palace Apartments<br>Penthouse suite_

Nick stretched on the excessively comfy bed and put his hands behind his head, staring at the ceiling. Beside him, Miles let out a low, almost lady-like, snore and he smirked.

Not a bad day, in the end. Three months from now he'd be getting married. With Maya at his side the whole way.

Shame about her not being able to channel Mia that day, he mused. She could have been handy. He couldn't remember Maya channelling the woman any other time, but she'd said _"I've been overdoing it lately." _Or something like that.

Nice of Godot to keep her company as well. The man always struck him as a loner but with Maya he seemed to be making exceptions. After all he'd even let Maya sleep over at his house the previous night, knowing her she'd probably conked out right after walking him home.

Well, they could reminisce about Mia together, Nick thought. It would be good for them both.

…Odd that Godot had seemed tired today. Maybe they stayed up late talking about Mia?

Odd that he'd paid for Maya's little snack as well.

"_Mister Wright has other things to do now, __**Kitten.**__"_

Nick sat bolt upright in the bed, eyes wide. "Oh Good god!"

Next to him, Miles jerked awake and looked around blearily, "What? What? Is the apartment on fire?"

Leaping out of the bed and scrambling for his clothes, Nick shook his head, "No, but I'm going to kill Godot with a stick!"

Miles tilted his head slightly, then yawned and nodded, "Make sure to hide the body and leave no witnesses, I'm not defending you if you do a sloppy job."


End file.
